DBKL has failed the Malays, says Daim

KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Daim Zainuddin has taken Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to task for its alleged failure to fulfil its responsibilities, especially with regards to helping the Malay community in the city.

Daim, who is the Council of Eminent Persons (CEP) chairman, said DBKL has never helped the Malays, even though it is led by Malays themselves, whom he said were more interested in looking after their own interests.

“All DBKL officers are rich. They don’t prioritise the Malays, they prioritise themselves.

“The CEP has summoned them, including the mayor, for clarification. Inshaallah (God willing) we will throw them out (problematic DBKL officers) but we need your support.

“We don’t want the Malays to be left wanting. We don’t want this type of people, they are traitors to the race. We want honest, sincere and trustworthy people,” he said during a town hall session with the Titiwangsa parliamentary constituency at the Kelab Sultan Sulaiman on Tuesday.

Also present was Rural Development Minister, Rina Mohd Harun.

Daim, who is also former Finance Minister, said the people of Kampung Baru need to meet and discuss about the direction of the development they seek and present it to the government.

He agreed that the areas should be maintained as a Malay reserve area in the city.

He cautioned the residents against allowing Kampung Baru to share the same fate as the Malay villages in Abdullah Hukum and Tanjong Tokong in Penang.

“During the recent Bumiputera National Economic Congress, did any of the Kampung Baru folk go? You should have gone and raised the issue (on Kampung Baru) there because the prime minister was there.

“The people of Kampung Baru also didn’t come to meet the CEP. The Chinese and Indians came, but the Malays didn’t because they thought the government would take care of them.

“Did the previous government do that? They only took care of their own pockets,” he said.

Tun Daim Zainuddin said DBKL has never helped the Malays, even though it is led by Malays themselves, whom he said were more interested in looking after their own interests. (NSTP/ MOHD YUSNI ARIFFIN)